Camden Haven Redbacks have turned a shortage of referees into one of the biggest success stories of their 2026 season.
The club started the year with just one junior referee covering its Coles MiniRoos games. That number has since grown to 16, thanks to a strong club culture and a willingness from young players to step up.
Redbacks club president Riley Papas said the club initially faced an uncertain season, relying heavily on teams and parents to help cover games.
“At the start of the 2026 season we went into the year with one junior referee to run all of our Coles MiniRoos games,” Papas said.
The club initially relied on teams and parents to help manage games while it searched for more referees. As the season progressed, more young people answered the call.
The numbers grew from one to two, then four, six, nine and 11 before reaching 16 junior referees.
Papas said the growth reflected the wider culture the club had worked to build.
“The growth on all of this has come from a hyper focus on creating an all-inclusive, positive environment that centres itself around community, giving back and a level of gratitude for taking nothing for granted,” Papas said.
Most of the Redbacks' junior referees are between 10 and 13-years-old. Taking on the role has given them a new perspective on the game while helping build confidence on and off the field.
The club has also made a point of recognising its young referees, celebrating their efforts and encouraging them to continue developing.
That support has already inspired some referees to look toward the next stage of their refereeing journey, with several expressing interest in completing their senior referee course when they reach the required age.
The impact has reached beyond the referees themselves. With more young officials available, matchdays have become less stressful for teams, parents and volunteers.
“All in all, it has allowed our matchday experience across our club to become a lot more stress-free,” Papas said.
The Redbacks are now looking to build on that success, with the club hoping to attract more older junior referees and continue providing training, mentoring and support.
For Camden Haven, the achievement shows that young people do not need to wait until they are older to play an important role in their football community.